Candy coated popcorn products are popular with the consuming public. They maybe bought in ready-to-eat form or may be prepared by the consumer in the home.
There are a variety of methods for preparing a coated popcorn product. One method is to melt a candy coating substance or glaze and pour the melt over popped corn. The popped corn used in this method may be produced by subjecting corn kernels to hot air popping, cooking in oil, or microwave energy.
Another method of producing coated popcorn is to combine the popcorn kernels in a cooking medium together with a flavoring substance. The ingredients are then heated, and as the popcorn kernels pop, they are coated with the flavoring substance.
Other products, such as candy coated farinaceous dough products, are produced by subjecting a suspension of the puffable farinaceous dough pieces in a coating medium, all of which is packaged in an expandable bag, to microwave energy. When microwave energy is directed at the bag, the dough pieces expand and the heated coating medium coats such puffed dough pieces.
In the candy and snack food industry, the candy coatings, such as caramel coatings, for use on popcorn, cereal, and the like, are prepared by cooking a candy syrup at 290.degree. F. to 310.degree. F., until the syrup contains only about 2% moisture by weight. The moisture content of the cooked syrup depends on several factors, including cooking temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, and the nature of the ingredients used in the syrup. Thus the presence of either invert sugar or corn syrup or both, as ingredients in a particular formulation for a candy syrup, will tend to increase the moisture content of a cooked syrup, for a given maximum cooking temperature.
Candy coated popcorn begins caking and sticking when the moisture content of the candy coating exceeds about 3% by weight at room temperature. Thus it is considered that the candy syrup that is used for coating popcorn, such as caramel coated popcorn, should normally be cooked to a final moisture content of about 2%, in order that the product have and retain crispness, and also enjoy a reasonable shelf life.